Sizing Your Paddle

Traditional Paddles

These paddles are distinguished by their long, slender blades and overall resilience. Originally carved from one piece of wood from a small tree, cedar and basswood were prized because of their lightweight, while ash, maple and cherry were chosen for strength and durability. Cherry was especially preferred for its resistance to rot and warping and its relatively lightweight.

Though not the most leisurely paddles to use in depths below 12”, one can learn to manage quite well with a ‘sweep stroke.’ All basic strokes, such as the ‘J’ and ‘C’ strokes, along with a draw, pry, and feather strokes evolved from this type of paddle.

No other paddle can give you the enjoyment and feel of cruising like a traditional paddle. The blade width area is more than adequate for maneuvering your canoe, so pick the model that appeals to your price range, usage, and aesthetics.

 

Sizing your Traditional Paddle

Regardless of the model of the straight or bent shaft paddle you have selected, the overall length should be determined by the shaft length from the top of the grip to the throat of the paddle.

The following formula applies: the shaft length should equal the distance from one shoulder to the water line of the canoe. This will allow you to paddle below your eyes with your upper hand while keeping your lower hand close to the throat.

To determine the approximate length, sit erect on a flat hard chair or the floor and measure the distance from the surface to your chin. Add 6” for the approximate distance the canoe seat would be from the waterline. Thus, a person whose chin-to-chair measurement is 26” would add 6” to arrive at a 32” shaft length. Looking at the specifications of our various models, you will find that you would probably use a 50” Touring Bent Shaft, a 54” Voyageur, or a 56” Chieftain. A one- or two-inch variation would not have much effect on usage, so try to find the closest shaft length for the model chosen. Remember to consider that canoe seat heights vary, as might a ‘comfort range’ that you might feel more suited to.

The only exception to this rule would be our Hammerhead paddle. A completely different technique is used for white water canoeing, and you may end up adding approximately 12” to your chin to chair length.

Recreational Paddles

Our recreational line is characterized by shorter, wider blades than the traditional paddles, along with laminated blades and shafts, often of contrasting woods, for aesthetic and practical reasons. Laminated shafts can be made to be strong and light using hardy and heavier woods on the face and sandwiching lighter, weaker woods in the core. The same may be said of the blade – using strong wood on the thinner edge and blade center, with lightweight wood near the shaft where the wood is thickest. Another advantage of laminating is the strength gained by the numerous grain patterns of the various wood strips.

Recreational paddles tend to have a stiffer flex. On the one hand, this feature makes the paddle more efficient by limiting the loss of power transferred from the paddle stroke. However, this makes the paddle harder on the joints and more tiring for a weaker paddler.

These models offer advantages over their traditional cousins: they are easier to use in the shallows, particularly in depths of 18” or less, better in moving water and generally less expensive than traditional paddles.

 

Sizing Your Recreational Paddle

Regardless of the model of the straight or bent shaft paddle you have selected, the overall length should be determined by the shaft length from the top of the grip to the throat of the paddle.

The following formula applies: the shaft length should equal the distance from one shoulder to the water line of the canoe. This will allow you to paddle below your eyes with your upper hand while keeping your lower hand close to the throat.

To determine the approximate length, sit erect on a flat hard chair or the floor and measure the distance from the surface to your chin. Add 6” for the approximate distance the canoe seat would be from the waterline. Thus, a person whose chin-to-chair measurement is 26” would add 6” to arrive at a 32” shaft length. Looking at the specifications of our various models, you will find that you would probably use a 50” Touring Bent Shaft, a 54” Voyageur, or a 56” Chieftain. A one- or two-inch variation would not have much effect on usage, so try to find the closest shaft length for the model chosen. Remember to consider that canoe seat heights vary, as might a ‘comfort range’ that you might feel more suited to.

The only exception to this rule would be our Hammerhead paddle. A completely different technique is used for white water canoeing, and you may end up adding approximately 12” to your chin to chair length.

Bent Shaft Paddles

Once only found in the domain of the marathon racer, these efficient paddles have gained popularity with recreational paddlers in recent years. We didn’t invent this stuff, so our hats are off to the racers who did. Long hours on the water make every technical advantage a windfall, and we know a good idea when we see one. Our goal has always been to put good ideas into production. In addition to all of the features found in our recreational line, the wooden paddles have a continuous, 8-ply basswood, form-moulded bent shaft.

These are excellent shallow or deep-water paddles that offer increased efficiency through paddle design and paddling techniques. The paddle's blade is offset from the shaft to allow the blade to remain vertical to the canoe’s path throughout the stroke. This improves the efficiency of each stroke and allows shorter strokes at an increased stroke rate. These factors, coupled with a ‘sit & switch’ technique (i.e. changing sides every twelve strokes or so to reduce fatigue and steering correction), make Grey Owl bent shafts hard to beat for long-distance paddling. Bent shaft paddles are not designed to be a cruising type of paddle, and the angle does limit the types of stroke one can apply, thus making it a tricky paddle to use in the wind and moving water.

 

Sizing Your Bent Shaft Paddle

Regardless of the model of straight or bent shaft paddle, you have selected, the overall length should be determined by the shaft length from the top of the grip to the throat of the paddle.

The following formula applies: the shaft length should equal the distance from one shoulder to the water line of the canoe. This will allow you to paddle below your eyes with your upper hand while keeping your lower hand close to the throat.

To determine the approximate length, sit erect on a flat hard chair or the floor and measure the distance from the surface to your chin. Add 6” for the approximate distance the canoe seat would be from the waterline. Thus, a person whose chin-to-chair measurement is 26” would add 6” to arrive at a 32” shaft length. Looking at the specifications of our various models, you will find that you would probably use a 50” Touring Bent Shaft, a 54” Voyageur, or a 56” Chieftain. A one- or two-inch variation would not have much effect on usage, so try to find the closest shaft length for the model chosen. Remember to consider that canoe seat heights vary, as might a ‘comfort range’ that you might feel more suited to.

The only exception to this rule would be our Hammerhead paddle. A completely different technique is used for white water canoeing, and you may end up adding approximately 12” to your chin to chair length.

Kayak Paddles

Grey Owl offers both a high-angle and a low-angle all-wood touring kayak paddle. In addition, we offer a wood/composite hybrid model in a high-angle configuration. All paddles have a high tolerance for take-apart ferrules with no slop or wobble in the joint. These paddles are relatively lightweight with a balanced swing weight. The dihedral spoon blade will allow for a smooth and flutter-free stroke.

Sizing Your Kayak Paddle